Tinnitus Information

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Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know About Tinnitus But Were Too
Shy to Ask

Description: If you hear some
kind of continuous or intermittent ringing in your ears occasionally,
you might be experiencing tinnitus. Read all about the causes,
symptoms, and solutions in this article.

The medical condition known as tinnitus (ti-ni-tis) is a sensation of
hearing some ringing, hissing, chirping, buzzing, and whistling sounds
either continuously or intermittently. Additionally, the sound varies
in loudness and is at its worst when there is no background noise or
the noise is low especially at night when you are lying in your bed.

Tinnitus affects one out of five individuals – around 50 million people
in the U.S. -- and while it isn’t serious, the appearance of tinnitus symptoms may mean that
there are underlying conditions like an ear injury, circulatory system
disorder or age-related loss of hearing in the individual. There are
cases in which the sound is in sync with the heart beat known as
pulsatile tinnitus.

The Two Types of Tinnitus

If you are not aware of what causes
tinnitus, you need to understand that this condition is not
responsible for a person’s loss of hearing. Some people who experience
it, in fact, have no hearing difficulties, and others have even become
more sound-sensitive. Admittedly, tinnitus can often interfere with a
person’s ability to hear actual sounds or be able to concentrate.

In some cases, however, it continues even after the underlying
conditions have been treated. Blockages or infections in the ear can
cause tinnitus and although it can be annoying, it improves with the
right tinnitus treatment.
Traditional and alternative therapies can bring considerable relief by
covering up unwanted sounds or decreasing their volume.

Most people are unaware that there are two types of tinnitus. One is
known as subjective tinnitus which means you are the only one who can
hear all those sounds. This type of tinnitus is usually caused by
problems in the inner, outer or middle ear, issues that involve the
auditory, or hearing, nerves or dysfunction in the auditory pathways or
the way the brain interprets the nerve signals as a sound.

Objective tinnitus, on the other hand, is what the ear doctor hears
when he does a physical examination on a patient. This tinnitus is
rarer and caused by problems in the blood vessels, the bone of the
inner ear or contractions of the muscles. Around 90% of tinnitus cases
are the results of hearing loss induced by noise or prolonged exposures
to loud sounds.

How Tinnitus Develops

These exposures can cause permanent damage to the cochlea,
an organ located in the inner ear of a person. The spiral-shaped
cochlea has cells sensitive to sound. People who work as pilots,
landscapers, carpenters, rock musicians, and street repairers are among
those who have a high risk of developing tinnitus symptoms as well as
those who operate loud devices like chainsaws and guns.

Those who listen to very loud music repeatedly can also develop
tinnitus. Even one exposure to extremely loud and sudden noise can be
traumatic for the cochlea and cause tinnitus. Although not one exact
cause for tinnitus has been confirmed, numerous health conditions
develop or worsen when tinnitus occurs. Damage to the ear’s inner cells
is one cause.

Other Likely Causes of Tinnitus

Tinnitus happens when the delicate, tiny hairs found in the inner ear
move relative to the pressure that results from sound waves. The ear’s
cells release a signal through the auditory nerve to the brain which
then interprets the signal as a sound. Broken or bent hairs in the
inner ear leak random signals to the brain, misinterpreting them as
sounds and causing tinnitus.

Other tinnitus causes you should know about include:

Meniere’s disease: this is a disorder of the inner
ear which can cause a sensation of spinning motion known as vertigo
together with a fluctuating loss of hearing as well as feelings of
pressire or fullness in the ear; this disease usually affects only one
ear.

Temperomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ): problems
in the joints located on either side of the head, in front of the ears
where the lower bone of the jaw meets the skull, could cause tinnitus.

Neck or head injuries: trauma to the neck or head may have an
effect on the inner ear primarily because the ear’s nerves are linked
to brain function. Injuries like these cause tinnitus only in one ear.

Acoustic neuroma: this a benign, or non-cancerous, tumor which
develops on the brain’s cranial nerve that runs from the brain to the
inner ear and controls hearing and sound balance; it also causes
tinnitus only in one ear.

Age-related loss of hearing: this condition typically causes
tinnitus in those who are age 60 and above. Medically known as presbycusis, age-related loss of hearing worsens
as the person grows older.

Loud noise: exposure to loud noises for prolonged periods causes
tinnitus. MP3 players, iPods or other devices that produce sounds can
cause tinnitus as well even when the exposure is on a short-term but
regular basis.

Earwax: earwax actually protects the ear’s canal by trapping dirt
to slow down bacterial growth. When too much of it accumulates it
becomes hard to wash away by natural means, build up, causes
irritation, and develops into tinnitus.

Changes in the ear bone: when bones stiffen in the middle ear,
the condition known as otosclerosis develops and affects the hearing
which results in tinnitus. This is abnormal growth of the ear bone
which is hereditary.

Medications: several medications, notably aspirin, as well as
sedatives, antibiotics, antidepressants, and anti-inflammatories can
cause tinnitus, which has been noted as a possible side effect for
around 200 medications.

Other medical conditions: hypertension or high blood pressure,
anemia, diabetes, underactive thyroid glands, and diseases of the
cardiovascular and circulatory systems can also cause tinnitus.

Viral infections, migraines, allergies, headaches, improper
drainage of body fluids, genetic predisposition, and an impaired or
weakened immune system have also been shown to cause tinnitus in some
cases.

Among other tinnitus causes alcohol has
also been found to be contributory to the condition’s aggravation
alongside tobacco, caffeinated drinks, and certain foods. According to
some researchers, fatigue, stress, depression, and other
anxiety-related conditions can also become causes for tinnitus, albeit
the exact reasons of how these can cause it have yet to be confimed.

Blood Vessel Conditions and Tinnitus

In very rare cases, tinnitus is caused by disorders in blood vessels or
pulsatile tinnitus, as previously mentioned, such as atherosclerosis or
the hardening of arteries from increased cholesterol levels and the
buildup of other deposits. When this happens, those major blood vessels
closest to the inner and middle areas of the ear lose elasticity and
fail to expand slightly or flex when the heart beats.

A narrowing of the carotid artery in the neck or a vein the neck, known
as the jugular vein, causes turbulence in the blood flow and makes this
process irregular, which results in tinnitus. Also, the condition
called AVM, short for arteriovenous malformation, can cause tinnitus
when an abnormal connection between veins and arteries develops. AVM,
however, occurs generally in one ear only.

There are several tinnitus remedies
available for treatment of underlying medical conditions which may
cause tinnitus, but an ear doctor has to first identify the symptoms.
Tinnitus due to existing medical conditions may require various
treatments. The removal of impacted earwax, for instance, can help
reduce tinnitus symptoms. Likewise, changing certain medications found
to cause tinnitus can also be prescribed.

Still, of all known tinnitus causes
medications have been overlooked yet they significantly
contribute in exacerbating tinnitus. These medications include those
containing quinine for treating malaria, water pills or diuretics like
furosemide, ethacrynic acid or bumetanide, pharmaceutical drugs for the
treatment of cancer such as vincristine and mechlorethamine, and, taken
in high doses, even aspirin.

Tinnitus and Dizziness

Yes, tinnitus causes dizziness
which can either be classified as vertigo or lightheadedness. The
former is characterized by a spinning sensation accompanied by a loss
of balance while standing and the latter is characterized by feeling
faint. Either way, dizziness occurs when the brain’s blood supply
decreases which may be caused by low levels of blood pressure or
dehydration from vomiting, diarrhea or a fever.

The latter is almost always associated with problems concerning the
inner ear. Among the causes of vertigo, the most common is Meniere’s
disease, already mentioned earlier in this article, and acoustic
neuroma, also discussed previously. Labyrinthitis is another ear
condition that is characterized by the middle ear’s inflammation as a
result of a viral infection.

BPPV, short for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, occurs when the
inner ear’s calcium crystals dislodge from their normal positions and
move to one of several semicircular cancels and develop as an
irritation. It occurs most commonly in older people when their heads
suddenly change positions including looking under or up, rolling over
on the floor or in bed, tilting the head or sudden motions of the head.

Tinnitus Causes and Treatment Recommendations

More often than not, the condition cannot be treated and making its
symptoms less annoying or bothersome is the only tinnitus relief possible. The use
of chemicals in the form of medications is out as a solution since it
may worsen the condition. Adjustments in lifestyles are the better
option as well as resorting to home remedies. If your condition is in
the onset period of six months or less, improvement rate is high.

The doctor to see for a tinnitus condition is known as an otolaryngologist. This doctor is capable of
providing you with some form of tinnitus
relief including sound therapy, specialized hearing aids
with/without maskers for ear levels, and listening to background music,
which can help alleviate anxiety or depression caused by tinnitus.
Treatment of anxiety or depression can be combined with relieving
tinnitus.

Because it affects the ear which is directly linked to the brain,
tinnitus drug treatment options can be potentially dangerous,
especially if they are antidepressant, anticonvulsant, and anxiolytic
in nature. Even intratympanic injections – meaning injections of
substances or drugs into the middle ear or tympanum through the ear
drum – are not advisable without any benefit that can be derived from
them.

Supplements and Acupuncture as Natural Treatments

Some dietary supplements have been touted as a natural treatment for tinnitus,
including such herbs, botanicals, vitamins, and minerals as gingko
biloba, zinc or melatonin, when they are advertised on TV, the radio,
and the internet, but there hasn’t been any evidence that these have
benefits for tinnitus.

As a tinnitus treatment lipoflavonoid
supplements have been promoted, albeit their effectiveness has
been based on preliminary research or studies only. These supplements
reportedly contain several ingredients which are typically proprietary
blends of some vitamins (B complex and C), choline, eriodictyol
glycoside, flavonoids, and inositol, among others.

A tinnitus acupuncture treatment
performed by licensed acupuncturists who may have had acupuncture as
part of clinical training in either Japan or China is believed by some
to be effective after ten sessions. There aren’t enough studies or
sufficient information to determine, as of this writing, whether or not
acupuncture can cure tinnitus, although it can help relieve some
symptoms according to some patients.

TMS for Tinnitus

The new modality for tinnitus is called the transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) but its
possible benefits have not been proven just yet. According to the Mayo
Clinic, TMS involves using magnetic fields for the stimulation of the
brain’s nerve cells in order to improve depression symptoms. An
electromagnetic coil is placed on the scalp near the forehead to create
electric currents to stimulate brain cell activity.

Because several studies found that tinnitus patients may benefit from
TMS, researchers at the Loyola University Medical Center (LUMC) has
been examining patients who have tinnitus as well as depression, two
conditions which are debilitating, according to Dr. Murali Rao, the
principal in the LUMC study. Still according to Rao, perception of
so-called “phantom sounds” in depressed people can actually be more
pronounced.

Although there has been no update on the use of TMS for tinnitus, Rao,
who chairs Loyola University’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral
Neurosciences at the Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, has said that
TMS treatments for tinnitus will not require any form of sedation or
even anesthesia and those who undergo them can resume normal activities
afterwards, albeit a side effect is a mild headache.

Can Children Develop Tinnitus?

Tinnitus in individuals below 18 is rare but not really unheard of.
Reports of tinnitus occurring in children may be under-reported mainly
because children, especially those who are very young, find it
difficult to express tinnitus symptoms. These symptoms may also be hard
to detect in children who have congenital sensorineural loss of hearing
accompanied by the condition. Children with both sensorineural hearing
loss and tinnitus often habituate to their condition.

This is because their brains have learned to ignore the internal sound.
In children who are in the cusps of puberty and adolescence, their
frequent and prolonged exposure to sounds of high intensity,
specifically rock music, from MP3, MP4s, iPods, and other devices, and
their participation in electronic games on the internet or hand-held
gadgets increase their risk in acquiring tinnitus at an early age.

Ear buds and headsets often come with the purchase of these devices and
gadgets, further encouraging listening to music and other auditory
features with much more intensity. While parents may be unable to
prevent their children from using such devices or gadgets, they can
program their children’s devices and gadgets and set limits on the
output for maximum volume.

Possible Treatments for Tinnitus

As mentioned earlier, there is no tinnitus
cure but for the minority afflicted with the condition due to
cardiovascular causes such as blood vessel disorders, repairing the
blood vessels in question may help in reducing tinnitus symptoms.
Cessation of taking pharmaceutical drugs is the solution for those
whose tinnitus conditions have been caused by reactions to medications.

Other solutions include:

Avoiding or reducing the consumption of both caffeine and salt.

Relaxation therapy to combat fatigue which can trigger tinnitus.

Quitting smoking.

Retraining therapy.

Zinc supplementation may help those who zinc deficiency since
this has been shown to occur in people with low levels of zinc.

Masking therapy.

Melatonin supplements for those whose sleep are disturbed or
interrupted due to tinnitus may find relief.

Behavioral therapy.

Avoiding irritants which have been proven to exacerbate tinnitus.

Noise coverage such as soft, low volume music.

Stress management since stress makes tinnitus worse.

Reducing alcohol consumption because alcohol dilates the blood
vessels and forces an increase in blood flow, especially in the areas
near the inner area.

Engaging in daily exercise or a workout thrice a week to improve
the condition of the circulatory system which includes the blood flow.

Controlling the levels of blood pressure since high blood
pressure levels can trigger tinnitus.

Using meditation and other mental techniques to divert attention
away from tinnitus whenever it manifests itself.

Although it has not been confirmed effective as a treatment,
ginkgo biloba supplements may help as a natural remedy for tinnitus.

Retraining Therapy and Other Therapies

Retraining therapy involves retraining nerve pathways directly
associated with the sense of hearing to condition the brain to “get
used” to the abnormal sounds of tinnitus. The conditioning process of
habituation retrains the brain to ignore noise to make the patient
unaware of the sound. This therapy involves counseling as well as
wearing a sound generator.

Other retraining therapies include:

Masking

Tinnitus maskers are devices designed as “white noise” machines that
can add both artificial and natural sounds to the environment of a
person afflicted with tinnitus to “mask” or suppress the ringing sound
cause by tinnitus. Simply put, a tinnitus masker will increase the
sound levels in the environment of the tinnitus patient to mask them
with less intrusive and calming sounds.

Biofeedback

This is the tinnitus treatment cure or
technique of making involuntary or unconscious bodily processes which
the senses can detect, after which these processes are manipulated
consciously by mind control. According to ucsfhealth.org of the
University of California-San Francisco Health Center, biofeedback
combined with counseling can relieve certain stress patterns which may
worsen with tinnitus.

Electrical Acoustic Stimulation (EAS)

EAS involves implanting a cochlear implant and a hearing aid for
patients with hearing loss in the same ear so that the hearing aid will
amplify low frequencies acoustically while the cochlear implant will
stimulate middle as well as high frequencies electrically. The inner
ear then processes both of the stimuli simultaneously. International
studies show that a synergistic effect occurs between a cochlear
implant and a hearing aid.

Stress Reduction

A technique known as the “mindfulness-based tinnitus reduction” (MBTR)
may help those suffering from tinnitus to learn separating the ringing
sound from stress, anxiety, and other emotions of a negative nature
that often triggers it. This technique teaches the tinnitus-afflicted
to deal with the condition and experience it as a regular body
sensation instead of getting rid of it.

MBTR is based on the principle of mindfulness-based stress reduction
which was found to be highly effective for people who have to deal with
arthritis in particular and physical pain in general. This tinnitus
“version,” however, has been tailored to specifically address the
symptoms of tinnitus. Participants learn the technique in eight weeks
or two months.

Cognitive-Behavior Therapy

After an otolaryngologist evaluates a tinnitus patient, an assessment
is done to measure how far gone tinnitus is in the patient. Cognitive behavior therapy (BT) is then introduced
as a reversal of tinnitus’ negative impact on the quality of life and
psychology health of the tinnitus patient. CBT is often combined with
sound stimulation to help alleviate tinnitus symptoms.

CBT’s aim is to break the destructive cycle that negativism brings to a
tinnitus patient’s emotional state that often develops into anger,
anxiety, and depression. These negative emotions block the progress of
the patient’s habituation and prolong his/her suffering. CBT educates
the tinnitus patient on the effects of well-being for managing tinnitus
successfully.

The goal of CBT is to teach the tinnitus patient to adopt an effective
and realistic attitude when dealing with tinnitus attacks by learning
to separate fact from fiction when it comes to the causes, persistence,
and prolonged circumstances of tinnitus.

Introducing Living Tinnitus Free

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Tinnitus Free is an in-depth guide that will help tinnitus
sufferers break free from the horrible symptoms and effects of this
condition. Created by Ellen Currie, herself a tinnitus sufferer for 20
years, this book has been known to help people control the symptoms of
tinnitus so that they can improve their quality of life.

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